Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola referred to as Liverpool the favourites to win the Premier League after his facet had been held to a goalless house draw by title rivals Arsenal.
After Liverpool got here from behind to beat Brighton 2-1 earlier within the day, Jurgen Klopp’s facet high the desk by two factors from the Gunners with Metropolis in third, three factors from the summit.
Guardiola’s three-time reigning champions have made a behavior of placing collectively lengthy profitable runs late within the season to overtake rivals within the race to complete high, however the Catalan conceded this 12 months’s title race was not of their arms.
“At all times who’s first is favorite,” Guardiola mentioned when requested if Liverpool had been “clear favourites” to win the league.
“The second favorite is Arsenal and we’re third… It’s not in our arms. All we are able to do is consider Aston Villa (at house on Wednesday). At all times after we had been high of the league, we had been favourites. It was in our arms. Now it’s not. It’s easy.”
Metropolis and Arsenal each fought arduous on the Etihad however produced a match of few probabilities that won’t dwell lengthy within the reminiscence, with Guardiola’s males failing to attain at house for the primary time in 58 matches throughout all competitions.
Final April Arsenal misplaced 4-1 on the Etihad within the midst of a run which proved pivotal as Metropolis overhauled Mikel Arteta’s facet on their approach to the treble.
There was no repeat as Arsenal’s eight-game shedding streak on the Etihad got here to an finish, and this felt like a extra necessary end result for the Gunners.
“I believe the context and the way in which we arrived right here 11 months in the past was totally different, however the problem stays the identical,” Arsenal boss Arteta mentioned.
“They’re the very best group on the earth, in my view, by far. They’ve the very best supervisor on the earth by far. To catch up and attempt to higher than them is the problem forward of us…
“I don’t know (if the draw is sweet for the title race). You wish to win the sport. You put together to win it. If you happen to can’t win it, be sure you draw it. We did that.
“Eleven months in the past we had been right here and the story was very totally different. You need to make steps as a group and in the present day we’ve accomplished that. We nonetheless have many extra to return…
“(It says) that we’re bettering and competing higher and perceive how it’s a must to play these video games however there’s one other step to make to win the championship. You need to come right here and win.”
Arsenal saved their construction, defending deep and denying Metropolis gamers any house in and across the field.
Requested easy methods to break down such a low block, Guardiola joked: “Kill somebody”.
“I recognise my group, the proposals and the way we pressed excessive,” he mentioned. “We’ve performed towards a low block typically and Arsenal are distinctive. Effectively managed and the gamers are actually good.
“You need to knock on the door of one other supervisor and see if he can do it. As a group we’re nonetheless there. We might have extra in some elements however I’m glad. I informed the group don’t be unhappy. You give credit score to Arsenal for the issues they do.”
